Silverlea Primary School in Athlone became the first to receive a 4IR STREAM Lab, thanks to a partnership between Sakhikamva Foundation and local business sponsor, Polyoak Packaging Group on May 11.
The launch of this initiative is part of an ongoing roll-out of STREAM (Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Aeronautics and Mathematics) laboratories which are meant to ignite coding and robotics learning in South African schools. Silverlea is the first primary school to be fully equipped with a 40-person tech laboratory that will ensure they receive hands-on development of skills in a technological world that’s ever-changing.
According to a media release, the founder of Sakhikamva Foundation, Fatima Jakoet, stated: “The new STREAM laboratory provides a stimulating environment for the development of STEM, that is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, skills.”
Along with this, there are immeasurable benefits to young learners developing programming and robotic skills. Silverlea’s principal, Sharon Coetzee, expressed her excitement and gratitude for this wonderful opportunity.
“The laboratory will promote a learning environment for kids with talents beyond the traditional curriculum. We will be able to lay the foundation for Coding and Robotics at primary school level so that our kids will have programming skills that will make them eligible to high schools offering continuing education in the tech and IT field,” she said.
Sakhikamva Foundation is a non-profit organization focused on the skills development of youth and children in the 4iR context. The roll-out of STREAM Laboratories is an ongoing effort to bring learners into quality tech spaces to explore, discover, create and learn new skills essential in 21st Century life.
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